Gerbracht



Feb. 21, 1956 F, GERBRACHT 2,735,383

ROOF AND WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS Filed March 6,1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Feb. 21, 1956 F. GERBRACHT 2,735,383

ROOF AND WALL CONSTRUCTION FOR PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS Filed March a,1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fred Gerbrachf INVENTOR.

Aliorqys Feb. 21, 1956 F. GERBRACHT ROOF AND WALL CONSTRUCTION FORPREFABRICATED BUILDINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 6, 1950 Fig. 6.

M km rm m e 6 m F A V) azz ls BY ME United States Patent ROOF AND WALLCONSTRUCTION FOR PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS Fred Gerbracht, Berkeley,Calif. Application March 6, 1950, Serial No. 147,779 2 Claims. (Cl.108-21) This invention appertains to a prefabricated buildingconstruction and especially relates to the construction and assembly ofthe walls and roof for such buildings.

The primary object of this invention is to join roof and outer Wallsheets together by working from the outside of the building, the sheetsbeing joined together by a leak-proof tight seam, which provides forslight thermal expansion and contraction.

Another important object of this invention is to con-v struct aprefabricated building from a plurality of light weight sheets formed ofaluminum or similar sturdy but light weight material, the sheets beingeasily and conveniently seamed together in a manner so that they areperfectly salvageable after dismantling the building.

Another important object of this invention is to construct aprefabricated building from a plurality of light weight sheets in amanner that expansion-contraction squeaking is eliminated and in amanner to permit the grounding of the entire building for lighteningprotection.

Another important object of this invention is to construct the roof of aprefabricated building in such a manner that it is rigid and sturdy andwill retain a slight amount of water to deaden the reverberations of theroof.

These and ancillary objects and structural features of merit, withrespect to the manner of joining the sheets forming the wall and Wallsand roof together, are attained by this invention, the preferredembodiment of which is set forth in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the prefabricated building,constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial detail sectional view takensubstantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of one of the wall sections;

Figure 4 is a view in sheets;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line77 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure1.

In the accompanying drawings, prefabricated building 10 is illustratedand is constructed entirely from light trusses, having a covering 12mounted thereon, the covering being constructed of light weight sheets,such as aluminum, which are rigidly secured together, by a leak-proofsturdy seam and including walls 14 and a roof 16.

It is to be noted that the building is covered with a continuouscovering in the nature of a continuous sheet which forms both the roofand exterior sidings for the walls, without projecting eaves. Thus, windresistance and noise are reduced.

perspective of one of the roof 2,735,383 Patented Feb. 21, 1956Attention is directed to Figure 3, wherein the means for joining thesheets for the exterior sidings and roof is illustrated in detail. Themeans includes a leak-proof seam construction 18, as seen in theassembled view in Figure 8. Thus, a pair of light Weight plates orsheets 20 and 22 are formed at their opposing marginal edges withupwardly and overlying curved ends 24 and 26. "The truss is formed witha U-shaped center section or a centrally disposed deep bead 30, thecenter section having laterally extending flanges 32 and 34 which attheir outer edges roll back as at 36 to seat the sheets.

The center section is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 38 andkey members 40 are disposed in the slots, the key members having theirinner ends slotted to form locking tongues 42 and 44 which are bentlaterally from the keymembers and designed to anchor the key members inthe truss section. The outer ends of the 'key members or joining oflaterally disposed oppositely directed locking tongues 46 the lockingtongues being bent over the rounded marginal edges 24 and 26 of theadjacent sheet. Cap members 48, which are channel-shaped incross-section and include a web portion 50 having parallel walls 52 and54, are provided and sealing strips 56, of synthetic rubber or the likematerial, are secured on the inner surfaces of the web portions. The capmembers are positioned on the marginal curved edges of the adjacentsheets and receive so that the sheets are locked securely upon the trusssec'-" tion.

Both the walls and roof are constructed from a plurality of sheets,which are joined together by the seams 18. The roof sheets 62, asillustrated in with a plurality of centrally disposed and transverselyextending ribs 64, the ribs being longitudinally spaced on the sheetsand being interposed with transversely disposed marginal ribs 66. Thus,the ribs 64 are positioned between the ribs 66 and are formed centrallyin the-sheets. By transversely plicating the sheets, the sheets are maderigid and are prevented from retaining a considerable amount of water,though a slight tained during a rain, of the roof.

As seen in Figure 2, the roofing sheets 62 are mounted on a chord 68 bythe seam 18, in the manner illustrated in Figures 3 and 8. It is to beparticularly noted that a continuous covering is formed from the sheets,which are joined together by the tight, leak-proof seams and that thesheets are clipped to the cross sections to form the walls and roof ofthe building. The exterior sheets 20 and 22 forming the sidings or wallsand the sheets 62 for the roof rest only on the rolled back edges 36 ofthe flanges on the truss section and the sheets are slightly flexed. Thecap members or strips 48 are continuous and extend from the bottom ofthe walls over the roof, as seen in Figure 1.

Sealed-in windows 72 are formed in the walls of the building, and theconstruction thereof is set forth in detail in Figure 7. Thus, anopening is cut in the sheets 20 so that the sheets terminate as at 76.An exterior metal molding 78 is provided and engages the exterior of thesheet 20, with a cooperating metal molding 80 engaging the flange 32 ofthe truss section 30. A rubber molding 82 is clamped between the molding78 and 80 and the marginal edges of a window pane 84 are held or grippedin a sealed manner by the rubber molding 82. The moldings 78 and 80 areclamped together by a bolt 86 which strips 40 are formed with aplurality ends of the Walls 52 and 54 of the cap curled ends 24 and 26of the adjacent Figure 4, are formed amount of water is reto therebydeaden the reverberations h r ss. sec iqn d; o ing. e ashing un tnpl cebyn eans of a c lip 9 4 receiving the threaded endof, the bolt andclamping the bolt to .the truss section. An interior wall board or panelboard 9ti.is, ,h eld in place by. meansof a clip 100, having anintegral;lug 102 form d therewith, thelug clipping on the flangesectionf theand clampingthe wall board" thereto, the wall board abuttingagainst the flange portionof theflashingunit 90.. It can thus be. seenthat the building may e easily and conveniently erectedby firsterectingthe-,lighttrussea-pn which the covering .is -mounted, the-coveringconsistingzof the sheets positioned on the .flangesof. the trusssections.

and locked thereto by the clipsor -keysl lll andthe cap.

members 48, In dismantling the building, the .caps,48- can be. saweddown the middle,

I laying described the invention, what isclaimed as new-is:

.1. Ida prefabricated building having cord truss mem-.

berswitha U-shaped panelsupporting portion and panels supported'thereon,an elongated support and leak-proof seam construction comprisingoutwardly flared lateral flanges on free ends of legs of the U-shapedportion, the outer marginal edges-0f said lateral flanges being foldedandrinturned upon said flanges and terminating in spaced substantiallyparallel relationto each other to provide spaced apart panel-supports onsaid U-shaped portion, panels; seated upon said panel supports, theadjoining marginal edges of adjacent panels overlying said. lateralflanges,; the overlying edges being cylindrically curved upward and overtheir respective panels, said curved edges beingspaced apart, saidU-shaped portion having a lower slotted, portion therein, a flat plateextending through said lower slotted portion and between the marginaledges of said flanges and panels, outwardly diverging bendable fingerson one .end of said plate extending over said curved edges of saidpanels, diverging bendable fingers on the other end-of saidzplateextending through the slotted portion of said U-shaped portionand-engaging a lower surface .p ortionthereof, a channel strip includinga web portion and parallel side Wall portions embracing said curvededges and diverging bendable fingers thereon and havinginturnedcurved-edges engaging said ,curvededges of said. panels,andaresilient strip interposed between said curved edges of saidadjacent panels and said web portion of said channel strips, the webportion and parallel side wall portions clampingly enclosingtherebetween the resilient strip, the curved edges of adjacent panels,and the diverging bendable finger-son said curved edges.

2. In a prefabricated building, a roof and outer wall elongatedleak-proof seam construction including an elongated truss section havinga- U-shaped centrally disposed bead portion terminating in outwardlyextending right angular lateral flanges on the free edges of the legs ofthe U-shaped bead portion, the outer marginal edges of said lateralflanges being inturned upon said flanges and terminating. in spacedrelation to each other providing a clearance therebetween disposed overthe longitudinal medial portion of said U-shaped bead portion, elongatedpanels seated-upon said inturned marginal edges, the adjoiningmarginal-edges of adjacent panels overlying said lateral flanges in thespace between said inturned edges and being eylindrically curvedupwardly and in overlying relationship to their respective panels, saidcurved edges being spaced apart, fastening means extending through theU-shaped centrally disposed bead portion and between the adjoiningmarginal edges of adjacent panels, said fastening means including aplurality of'bendabletongueportions at oppositeends thereof which arerespectively engageable in overlying engagement with an-uppersurfaceportion of the curved edges of each of the adjacent panels and a lowersurface portion of the bead portion of the elongated truss, an elongatedsealing strip extending in overlying relationship along the length ofthe curved edges of the adjacent panels, and an elongated cap memberextending the length of said panels, said cap memberincluding a webportionsuperimposed ontheelongated sealing strip, and having oppositelydisposed parallel walls, said web and parallel walls clampinglyenclosing therebetween the elongated strip, bendable tongue portions of;saidfastening means and curved edges of said'adjacent panels, saidparallel wallsincluding lower inwardly curved edgeiportions. clampingly.engagingthe curved edges of. the. adjacent panels.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,133Sagendorph Feb. 1, 1881- 1,327,741: Shuman Jan. 13, 1920 1,669,690Brandl May 15, 1928 1,780,862 Bloss Nov. 4, 1930 1,885,329: Cherdron etal. Nov. 1, 1932 1,957,933. Brandi May 8, 1934 2,223,740 Quest Dec. 3,1940 2,328,197 Cowin Aug. 31, 1943 2,532,466 Stemmons et al. Dec. 5,1950 2,538,328 Roos Jan. 16, 1951*- FOREIGN PATENTS 29,637 Great BritainOct. 31, 1907

